Shit Happened! (Part 1)

It started somewhere in December last year.

I coughed up some rust coloured phlegm. But it was only a one time incident.

A few days later, I felt that the back of the mouth and throat were raw and burned. When I brought Joel to see our ENT, I asked him to take a look at my mouth and throat. He said they look pink and it wasn't from being sick. Most likely I was having a GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) episode. He prescribed PPIs for me.

Towards the end of December, I had a little itch at the throat and some light coughing. Within days, it became a full-blown cough with difficulty breathing. I thought I had contracted some viral or bacterial infection. I tried gargling. Drank more soup. Went to bed earlier and slept more. Continued to walk. But nothing worked. And then it happened. I jolted up from my sleep in the middle of the night gasping for breath. It was as though I had an asthma attack. But I'm not asthmatic. Have never been. Can I suddenly develop asthma at the age of 40? I calmed myself down and tried not to get into a panic attack. Tried to breathe in and out calmly. I could breathe but it wasn't breaths where I felt relieved or satisfied. I had to breathe multiple deep breaths in order to get some slight relief.

Sat up in bed and tried to think what could have triggered this?

Nothing came to mind. I did not have any allergy reactions. Did not have any anaphylaxis symptoms. It was truly perplexing. But something was definitely wrong.

I went to the ER the next day. I told them I had difficulty breathing and they took me in immediately. After checking my medical history and what I was allergic to, he listened to my lungs. He said my lungs sounded constricted. The doctor gave me a nebuliser. This was the first time in my life I had a nebuliser. After the nebuliser, I had blood tests done and a chest x-ray.

The chest x-ray showed that I had inflammation in both my lungs. The blood test showed that I was in excellent health. No virus or bacteria infection at all. The doctor was perplexed to what was causing the chronic coughing and the inability to breathe properly. I did not fall sick recently. I did not have fever. I don't deal with foreigners. I don't smoke. I did not go overseas for holiday. In fact, I did not go anywhere! I have never been asthmatic. Nothing.

The second ER doctor who attended to me, suggested to me that I took some antibiotics just in case it was a bacterial infection which never showed up on the blood test. Things like this do happen. I hate antibiotics as they mess up with my digestive system. I declined and said that I would monitor and see how things goes.

As the nebuliser did give me some relief, they sent me home and told me to monitor myself closely. If I was to have an episode like this again, I was to go back to the ER immediately.

Well at least they didn't admit me. If not I would have spent New Year's in the hospital.

It was at this time I noticed that I had started to regurgitate big chunks of food up. Tons of acid too.

A few days later, I ended up in the ER again. The same asthma-like-attack came back. I rushed to the ER and had a nebuliser again. Blood test was done again and this time they did a influenza swab. Everything was perfect again. No inflammation, no virus, no bacteria and no influenza. They sent me to see a physician. After asking the same questions which I was asked at the ER, he said I most likely had a GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) episode and proceeded to give me PPI (Nexium) and also Aerius and Singular to help loosen up the phlegm. I went home.

It happened again. I felt very ill, coughed very violently and had difficulty breathing. I had to ask hubby to come home to take me to the hospital.

Again, blood tests and MORE blood tests. Again, all was normal. I was in great health according to my blood tests. Lungs were no longer inflamed. There wasn't any more constriction. Oxygen saturation was 100%!

The ER doctor said that he was 99.9% sure that it was my GERD acting up. I told him Nexium was useless. He gave me Pariet instead. And he told me to go back to see my gastroenterologist.

I went home with the wheels in my mind spinning nonstop at top speed. What was triggering these attacks? What have I been eating? Could it be the washing of the air-conditioners which used acid (chemicals) to clean that triggered this? I had switched on the aircon with opened windows for days with no one inside to get rid of it. But inhaling chemicals has never triggered GERD. This was something I have been eating. Could it be the new place where I was buying my free range chicken? Could they be unscrupulous business people which have been adding something to their chickens? Could it be the pork that I was consuming? Could it be the vegetables that I have been buying? Could it be the haze? Could it be something that was sinister lurking in my system?

Could it be this?

Could it be that?

WHAT COULD IT BE???????

And then it struck me like a thunderbolt.

This:

I had bought this Rice Bran Oil from the organic shop to try (it's low salicylate and also low FODMAP) and have been using it since the beginning of December. Brown rice always gave me problems and this oil is from rice bran!!!!!!! And it was extra oily.

How could I have overlooked this?

I wanted to slap myself. I was kicking myself mentally nonstop. I could not believe that this happened. How utterly careless of me.

When I did realise, we had finished all of the oil! (I bought a 1L bottle instead of the bigger bottle in the above picture. Imagine if I had bought the bigger bottle!)

A few days later, the cough began to lessen. The asthma-attack-like episodes lessened. The reflux lessened. I was relieved. I thought things would get better.

Boy, was I wrong.

...to be continued

Did You Know....

... That cockroaches and chocolates have a relationship?

Yes! In every single bar, or lump of chocolate, there are cockroach body parts in them!!!!!!

According to the FDA guidelines, an average of EIGHT insect parts found in a chocolate bar is deemed SAFE. YUM-YUM! (Don't believe me? Click on LINK)

Therefore, there is a possibility that people are not reacting to the chocolates but to the roaches that are in them. Some people have migraine, cramps, itching or hives after consuming chocolate. It could be the roaches body parts that could be causing those reactions. Cockroaches can cause asthma too.

Click on LINK to read more about chocolate and cockroaches.

Chocolate anyone?

The 'Flour' Mites!

Did you know that your wheat flour is a perfect breeding ground for DUST MITES??!!!

Yes, DUST MITES!

Not only do these dust mites breed in flour, they also breed in milk powder, sugar, corn meal, semolina, macaroni and cereal products, dried fruit and the stuffing go wheat-pain-relieveing-pads that are heated in the microwave.

Dust mites love warm, damp and dark places. And kitchen cupboards are perfect for them as they are damp, dark and warm.

Individuals with dust mite allergy can experience severe allergic reaction when they ingest these mites. It is called the 'oral mite anaphylaxis' or the 'pancake syndrome'. This type of anaphylaxis is frequently triggered by congesting pancakes; thus the name, 'pancake syndrome'. Severe asthma attacks can be triggered as well.

These pantry mites are less than 1mm in size and translucent to light buff to brown in colour.

Some signs of dust mites infestation in flour:

1. Severe infestations will result in a brownish tinge throughout the flour. (You can even see brown, stringy, ropes present.)
2. A 'minty ordour' will be present if the mites are crushed!
3. Flour will become sticky.
4. The flour will also acquire sickly sweet smell and will develope an unpalatable taste.

Even when the flour is cooked at high temperature, the mites can still trigger an allergic reaction.

In order to keep your wheat flour 'mites-free', keep them in the refrigerator. All the more if the packet of flour is opened! There are some people who store unused flour in the freezer. That will certainly keep the flour 'mites-free'!

*Some think that by storing the remaining flour in air-tight plastic bags, they are safe. The mites are able to puncture and make pin point holes in them!!!!! So store them in airtight containers.

Do check your flour before using!

PS: I store all my flour in the fridge after experiencing a 'flour-mite' infestation!

Crazy, Hazy Days!

That time of the year has arrived again.

We are a tropical country. This means that we have two seasons: sun and rain. But we have been promoted to a third season: HAZE!

The haze is back with the vengeance. As Indonesia's illegal mass burning continues, we WILL continue to suffer.

Click here to read about the Emergency! that has been declared in the southern state of Malaysia.

Meanwhile, we folks in the Klang Valley have been having a-not-so-severe haze attack. But that all ended today. I thought I had awoken in some highlands resort where the mist and clouds had enveloped the outsides of the house. Well, reality came crashing in when my sense of smell kicked in and slapped me awake with the horrible and foul acrid, burning smell which had somehow seeped into the house.

We have been hiding in the house the whole weekend with air purifiers and air-cons blasting 24 hours a day. No doors or windows were opened at all. Hubby had been sealing ALL gaps that he could find at all the windows and doors. After sealing whatever gaps that he could find, the smell has reduced tremendously. Not 100% smell-proof, but definitely much better.

For some of the windows which had smaller gaps, hubby used the double sided tape. Only one side of the adhesive tape is used. The other side is left unused. 

For larger gaps, hubby used these.

*This picture was taken from Facebook. This picture was taken in Bangsar.

I bought a respirator and goggles to protect myself from the haze. The respirator is currently being left aside to 'off-gas'. The plastic smell is terrible. The goggles and respirator have been washed thoroughly. 

It's all gloom and doom at the moment. So here is something light to lighten up your smoggy and hazy days. (By the way, Pi Sai can be translated literally as 'nose shit'!)

The haze is currently so bad at our state that all schools have been given orders to close tomorrow. Click here to read more.

Surviving the Haze!

It poured yesterday morning! We were so glad that it poured. But then it just suddenly stopped after 5 minutes. But the haze was not that bad yesterday. Today is even better than yesterday. The clouds and sun and sky are visible today. It is also a very windy day. And there is no acrid, burning smell at all! I quickly seized the opportunity to wash the bedsheets!

There are signs that we will be having water shortage due to the prolonged, dry season. And the haze will definitely return.

Here are some tips on how to survive the haze:

1. Facial Masks

Wear them the moment you head outdoors. Some wear them all the time.

2. Eye drops

Unfortunately, there are no 'eye' masks to protect the haze from irritating the eyes. Wash the eyes with eye drops. Allergy eye drops help too if the eyes break out in an allergic reaction.

3. Water

Drinking lots of water will help to cleanse the toxins out from the system.

4. Washing Your Nostrils

Nasal irrigation is a good way to wash/cleanse your nostrils. It can help lessen the irritation caused by the haze. Click here to read more.

Saline nasal spray is another good alternative.

5. Stay Indoors

Do not attempt any outdoor activities. You will pay dearly!

6. Dryer

Also try not to dry your laundry outside during the hazy season. Either hang them inside your house or use a dryer. It will save you from misery. The particles from the haze can cause you to itch and scratch like a dog infected with fleas. And the laundry will REEK of the smell of the haze.

7. Air Purifier

Have a few in the house and switch them on. It will help clear and purify the air.

8. Close All Doors and Windows

Don't bother to 'air' the house. There is no 'fresh air' outside during the hazy season.

9. Fix Any Gaps in Windows or Doors

This is to ensure that the smell of the haze does not seep into the house.

10. Air-Condition the House

Use the air-con to clear and circulate the air. Otherwise you might fall sick from the stale, recycled in-door air.

'Tis the Season to Be Hazy!

Not forgetting hot too!

The haze is back. Un-officially, that is. I don't see it being on any news, but it is back. It always happens at around this time of the year. The farmers in Indonesia burn their farms by the hundreds and thousands of acres and the direction of the wind blows the smog and remnants of their burning over to Malaysia and Singapore. And it will envelope our air. There will be no sun. No rain. No nothing. Just gloomy, terrible, unhealthy and poisonous air.

There is this acrid, burning smell in the air all the time. Today's air is better than yesterday. Monday was very bad.

With the scorching temperature of 35C to 37C, imagine the unbearable heat that we are facing over here in Malaysia. Add the haze and we have a catostrophe for people with allergies, sensitivities, sinusitis and asthma. It has not been raining for many days now. It is so hot that even 5 minutes under the 10am sun will burn the back of your neck.

And my eyes have become chronically dry. I went to see my ophthalmologist yesterday morning as I have been waking up with crusts around my eyes. And it itches so, very badly. And the searing pain! I though I had contracted conjunctivitis. But the eye check showed no infection whatsoever and minimal allergy. The cause? Extreme dryness! So dry that my eyes could beat the Sahara desert. And the preservative-free eye drops that I used last year is not working now. My eyes need a thicker solution. So it's another experiment with a new product. But it is a preservative-free eye drop.

Here is a picture of the haze last year.

*taken from here

I think I should do a rain-dance. The gods will definitely laugh till they cry (I mean, a hippo trying to flamenco! For crying out loud, the gods are screaming for mercy.) But seriously, I will be doing mankind a favour in Malaysia. Once the gods laugh hysterically till they cry, we will have rain.

Let's flamenco!!!

*By the way, what preservative-free eye-drops do you use for your eyes?